With so much going on in the realm of sustainability, leadership, and innovation, and only a limited amount of bandwidth for professionals in this space, we have created this weekly news to highlight articles that we feel are (1) important, (2) relevant, and (3) interesting in the areas of business sustainability. If you have an article that you feel needs to be mentioned, please do so in the comments section.
Can superfoods boost the planet’s health, too?
Baobab and Moringa tree-based products sourced from Asia and Africa may be the next superfoods to hit store shelves near you. Already known for their nutritional and medicinal properties, these trees could present a source of economic and ecological wealth if they’re protected, grown and cultivated as export crops. But a series of potential impacts still remain, mainly to the rural farming communities which stand to gain or lose from this superfood.
7 promising signs we’re moving toward a more sustainable world
Counter to sustainability articles which typically spell out the inevitable self-destruction of the human race, this countdown of “7 promising signs” gives a bit of hope. From an increase in transparency on global issues and their implicated actors to the rise of innovative and collaborative economic-sector-based solutions, the signs are clear that a brighter future is not only possible, but is already taking shape.
Underground revolution: Asia’s grave problem
A sensitive yet pressing sustainability issue in Asia is prompting a very important question: with a growing population and limited space, what should we continue do with the deceased? Juggling considerations of cultural traditions, economic feasibility, energy and land use, governments are looking at a variety of options to respectfully but sustainability deal with the dead.
Are mega dams a solution or burden to climate change?
Hydroelectric dams are considered by many nations to be a sustainable and renewable solution to our ever-growing energy and climate crises. But activists across the world are collectively challenging this notion, claiming that the negative climate, water and direct human impacts of building dams are anything but negligible. Balancing the need to cut fossil-fuel use with the need to protect water resources is proving to be a tricky and contentious issue.
Overfishing puts $42bn tuna industry at risk of collapse
If nothing is done by international governments or industry to establish and enforce fishing limits on tuna, the global trade (worth $42 billion) is at serious risk. According to conservationists, this is because five out of eight tuna species are at risk of extinction. While some retailers are putting market pressure on the supply chain to better manage depleting fish stocks, some worry this won’t be enough to save the tuna or the industry.